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The West Bengal government will launch sentinel surveillance against Covid-19 to help authorities monitor the trend of the disease and even act as an early warning system before any outbreak, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday.
“We are the first state to start working on this surveillance. Surveillance will begin in all districts soon after the blockade is lifted. This will help us understand the changing trend of the disease, receive an early warning before any possible outbreak and plan for the future, “said Banerjee.
The National AIDS Control Organization has been conducting sentinel surveillance of HIV for more than a decade to monitor trends in the disease in the country.
The Bengal government has been roundly criticized for the low test rate and high mortality rate among Covid-19 patients.
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The state administration also announced a series of initiatives to create employment for migrant workers returning to the state and to boost the rural economy. This comes amid criticism from the opposition for not doing enough to bring migrant workers stranded in other states back.
“While on the one hand, there are plans in place to allow 100 more trains to bring stranded people in other states, the district administration has been asked to prepare a skills chart for migrant workers that would help them generate some employment opportunities for them. Additionally, districts have been asked to create employment under the 100-day work program. A plan to boost the rural economy using 50,000 acres of barren land is also on the anvil, “said a senior state government official.
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The Prime Minister has called on all district magistrates to ensure the proper functioning of the public distribution system.
“District magistrates have been strictly asked to ensure that no person starves to death in West Bengal,” Banerjee added.
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a phased introduction of the Rs 20 lakh rupee package, Banerjee lashed out at the center for alleged discrimination.
“It’s a great zero. We hoped that the states would receive some relief along with various sectors. They had already announced Rs 10 lakh before. We don’t know when they will release the rest of the money. The center has not given the states anything, not a penny has been allocated for public spending or to combat the pandemic. It is an eyewash and it just misleads people at this time of the crisis, ”said Banerjee.
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